1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to crosslinked resinous compositions resulting from polymerizing a mutually reactable monomer mixture of a multifunctional epoxide, a multifunctional phenolic component and a multifunctional 2-oxazoline.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that a 2-oxazoline compound will react with a compound containing an active hydrogen atom of sufficient acid strength in a ring opening type of mechanism to provide a secondary amide. An aromatic hydroxyl group is representative of an active hydrogen containing compound capable of undergoing this reaction. The indicated reaction mechanism has heretofore been availed of to prepare resinous compositions in systems wherein the respective reactants are multifunctional in nature. Resinous compositions of the foregoing type are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,491.
It is likewise known that a variety of multifunctional phenolics, especially the novolacs, serve as agents for curing a multifunctional epoxide when these reactants are combined in an approximate stoichiometrical relationship, (Cf. Handbook of Epoxy Resins, by H. Lee and K. Neville, McGraw Hill Book Co., 1967). While not as extensively investigated as phenolic compounds, multifunctional oxazolines have nonetheless been reported in the literature and patents as representing suitable curing agents for multifunctional epoxides. U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,520 is exemplary of such patents. Also, an oxazoline or more specifically, a bicyclic adduct thereof with an oxirane oxygen group bearing compound is taught in U.S. Pat. No.3,640,957 as being a suitable catalyst for curing a multifunctional epoxide.